Say Hi

Hi. Just in case you forgot, this is what I look like. I'm so excited it's that time of year again when all my blogger friends flock to NYC for fashion week. First up, is the IFB conference tomorrow. If you see me there, make sure you Say Hi! There are great speakers, and plenty of lovely ladies who will be in attendance. If you can't make it, you can check out the live stream of the conference. Who knows, maybe you'll even see me unknowingly walk past the camera.

Live streaming video from ifbconference at livestream.com

Mostly, I miss you. There's a lot to share. Nothing too exciting, but I almost forgot what it was like to "see" and "talk" to you all almost everyday. Let's be friends on Twitter for the time being. I'll be bouncing around NYC this week and am SO happy to finally meet some of the ladies I've been following even before I started my own blog! I remember how nervous I was last year. This year it's a completely different feeling. I can't wait to see these girls again, and meet everyone who I didn't get to last time around. See some of you tomorrow! 

Not So Far Away

June 18th

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away (Brooklyn), there was a picnic. Since then I've been doing exactly what I said I would. I've been getting out and away from my computer whenever I can, taking in this summer for whatever it needs to be, restoring old friendships, and securing new ones. 

It's strange looking through these pictures and suddenly realizing how much has happened since they were taken. The summer was practically just getting started. I was beginning to like my city again, which meant spending a lot of time exploring and ending up at places I hadn't been before. Which of course led to meeting new people and plenty of new experiences.

Before the summer started I made a point to try and get myself all sorts of put together, in a cute little package with a big ribbon on top. Over the last couple of months it would seem that I've lost interest in that. I've been acting in the moment so often that it became easy to stop worrying about the future. I wanted to be more hands on and in control of my life. I now find myself doing almost the exact opposite of that.

In the past few months I had some unforgettable first time New York City moments. I got swept up and did things I never thought I would do. I don't regret any of it, I can't. I was there and I made those decisions too, and for a lot of reasons I'm glad things happened the way they did. I'm learning from them. One choice, one moment, can't possibly define everything about me. I happen to be a nice little collection of things. 

 

It's interesting to realize how different I thought of things just a few months ago. I certainly never would have predicted or planned everything thats happened. Being able to accept things as they are is clearly something I have to learn to be better at.

Selima Optique Sunglasses, Tank from H&M, Shorts from Madewell, Dolce Vita Sandals from Piperlime

Wooden Bangles & Necklace borrowed from Melissa, Taurus Pendant Necklace from Julie Nolan Jewelry

For now I'm content with living in these moments, however right or wrong they end up being. It's easy, it's dramatic, and you learn quickly. Summer doesn't really lend itself to deep, life shattering thinking anyway. That's what the fall is for.

Photos by Veronika

By the way, I love Veronika's camera, or lens, or whatever it is that's doing amazing things here. Many thanks to Veronika for snapping a few for me after the blogger picnic. Oh, and HELLO AGAIN. 

At Home

Vacation was great. Its been more than a week since I've been back. It seems like it was so long ago now. If you've been hanging out here for a while, it's fairly obvious I tend to over think, over analyze, and obsess about certain things in my life. Being away for those two weeks gave me a great opportunity to slow my mind down.

Before I went, I thought that while I was out there I was going to sit down and try to figure out a lot about my life. What ended up happening was much different than that. I almost entirely shut off. I coasted. Everything was alright, and each day just floated by. Wake up, make breakfast, relax outside with the pup, walks and naps at the beach, afternoon drives, easy dinners, and winding down at home. With the exception of the weekends when friends came to visit, that's pretty much how my entire time away went.

Apparently that was what I needed more than anything else. When I'm in the city I can feel my mind racing. What's next, what am I doing, why am I doing this, and on and on. But going away gave me the opportunity to be my best self. To go back to being the girl I truly enjoy being. Taking things as they come, not over thinking, being happy where I am, and enjoying my life in the small moments. 

Hat from JCrew, Selima Optique Sunglasses, Madewell Dress
Victoria's Secret Bikini, Wooden Bangle borrowed

I felt relaxed, at ease, and like there was nowhere else I possibly wanted to be. I grew up with lazy summer days spent at the beach. It's such a huge part of who I am, and has remained a way to remind myself of the girl I always want to be. If you put me at the beach I'll feel more at home than anywhere else and you'll get to see the most genuine me that I've experienced yet. No makeup, no outfits, no fuss, a lot of smiles, time spent with people I care about, and easy living. I absolutely love being there.

Photos by Melissa

Thanks for being so understanding of my more laid back summer schedule. I contributed a Guest Post for the lovely Jessie of The Concrete Catwalk last week while she was away enjoying her own beach vacation. I hope you all are making the most of your summer. It's going far too fast for me!